Hockey Canada hires human rights leader from MacEwan University as 1st VP of diversity and inclusion

Hockey Canada has hired human rights leader Irfan Chaudhry as its first vice-president of diversity and inclusion.

The national sports organization announced the move Friday, saying in a release that Chaudhry will lead the development of “a vision and strategy to create and sustain a culture within hockey that embraces and promotes equity, diversity and inclusion.”

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Chaudhry has served as director of the office of human rights, diversity and equity at Edmonton’s MacEwan University, and is the founder of Grow the Game, a hub for anti-racism resources in the hockey community.

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He has also been a member of the Hockey Canada Diversity and Inclusion Advisory Group since 2022.

His hiring follows a tumultuous year where Hockey Canada repeatedly came under fire for its handling of sexual assault allegations and hushed payouts to victims.

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The organization’s board of directors resigned on Oct. 11 and president and CEO Scott Smith was ousted from his role. A new board of directors was elected on Dec. 17.

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